Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Really?

Normally, I'd just try to ignore these. Call it the hormones or whatever, but who says this to people?!?!?!?

Anonymous said...

O-M-G! :-O Can we say SELF-ABSORBED?


Anonymous said...

U go, Girlfriend!

Yet another sad try to get people to give you stuff.

Is it just me, or are those plain rude? Not only are they somewhat mean, but "anonymous" won't even identify themselves. I realize that what I write on my blog is out there for the world to read, and everyone is entitled to their own opinions, but in the words of a wise bunny {from Bambi}, "If you can't say something nice, don't say nothing at all."

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Wardrobe improvements

In the past week, I've improved my summer maternity wardrobe from one pair of pants to 12 total pieces! A lot of my regular clothes have gone from being uncomfortable, to snug, to just not fitting at all! I think, with last week's purchases, that I'm well on my way to being a cute pregnant lady. That's the goal anyway. Below, some of my favorites {tops and bottoms}:


The striped shirt makes me look slightly more pregnant than I really am, but I still love it.

Ok, so these are not my most flattering pictures but it's late, I didn't do my hair, and I had picked at my face. So sue me. :)

Sunday, April 27, 2008

Sophie's new trick

Step 1: Get Sophie to look out of the window like a tiny person. {Check}


Step 2: Teach her to wave hello and goodbye to all passerby. {We'll get back to you on this one!}

Step 3: Also train her on how and when to water the plants. Clearly the plant in the picture is wilting, and I am most definitely not a green thumb.

Could she be more talented?!

Friday, April 25, 2008

Vintage baby

I know everything this week has been baby-oriented, but what else can a mother-to-be think about?

I seriously like some of the vintage baby stuff. Clothing, blankets, wood blocks, etc. I really hope that one of this child's dreams at the age of four {or earlier} is to build with Tinkertoys! Also, check out this cute vintage shirt my mom brought over yesterday {I'm not actually sure which one of us wore this, but it's very fitting for our child!}:


She also brought over some blankets that I received as a baby. Wouldn't you know, I've never seen them in my life {one of them even has my name embroidered on it}. But, I like them!

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Stuff for baby

For the past month or so, I have been on a search for things for baby. In fact, last week, I was feeling a little guilty that I still hadn't gotten anything for our little one. I ended up finding some neutral sleep and plays on clearance at Target, so I bought those, even though I knew that's not what I really wanted. What I really wanted was a stuffed animal or a blanket.

I know I've mentioned before that I'm a little freaked out about becoming a mom, but if Blake and I do half as good of a job as our parents did, then I think our kids will be just fine...at least I hope so. So, part of my first step to being a mom was trying to find something for our child. My mom has readily admitted to already having bought Christmas gifts for Baby Dubs. I know that I shouldn't be surprised though, because she has closets full of gifts for our niece, Jessi, for any of her upcoming birthdays (ages 3,4,5,6...probably more), Christmases, and other gifts "just because Grandma felt like it."

We haven't gotten much for baby ourselves, or really from anyone at all. I'm not expecting anything really, but I keep thinking that I have a little under five months to get everything for baby, and I just don't know when I'm going to get everything. I even have a fear that since there are so many pregnant people around me, a baby shower will be out of the question for me {I know, it's absurd....probably just the hormones talking...} But, we have gotten a few things. Janelle gave us some of her books {which have been so helpful!}, a Nebraska Huskers onesie {Blake's fave}, a pacifier clip, and an ear bulb. A very nice little package, indeed. In fact, she gave me that little package about 5 weeks ago. Maybe that's what spurred my desire to find something for baby......

Since I have not had any luck on my search, I nearly broke out in tears today when Wendy surprised me with a package. Awhile ago, she had given me some Tummy Butter to help prevent those stretch marks {though the more I read, the more I learn they are, sadly, unpreventable}, but today's package included some Swaddlers {which I have been spending a lot of time looking at and admiring, and really just wondering if they work}, and a TEDDY BEAR! How did she know that my heart's desire was to find a soft stuffed animal for my child? Maybe she just knew because we've been friends for so long? It was perfect timing for what I've wanted for the past month. Sure, I never dedicated a whole day to finding one, but I had been looking when I was shopping, and I wasn't finding anything. I had practically given up. Even looking at her gift now makes me a little misty-eyed. I love it {and these hormones that make me cry faster than you can snap your fingers!}.

Friday, April 18, 2008

Mom's words of wisdom

I love spending entire days with my parents. This morning, we dropped Sophie {freshly groomed} off at their house, had a good laugh, and then Blake and I headed to my 16 week OB check-up {Baby is great. Heart beat was 152 today}. Afterwards, we met up with mom and dad for lunch at a Japanese steakhouse where Dad and Blake promptly loosened up with multiple shots of sake, then Dad jetted home to start chores while Blake and I took mom around to run some errands.

After we brought mom home, and were helping her make shuĭ jiăo {Chinese dumplings}, the conversation turned to our future children, and being involved in their lives, making sure to discipline and shape them while they are young, etc. Mom first dispensed these wise words:

"You can bend a young tree, but not an old one."

I like this one. It just makes sense. Then, after a little bit of that talk, she said this:

"If your heart's not there, you can't make the fat man sing."

LOL....There was a pause, and we all burst out laughing, including mom. Then she said, "well, you know what I mean."

You know, I still don't know what that is supposed to mean, but we all decided that the second words of wisdom should be put in a fortune cookie, and then mom should write a book: Deep Thoughts by BeFong. Gosh, I just love them!

What have we done?

Blake and I decided last week that it was finally time to take Sophie back to a professional groomer. We had been trimming her mane ourselves, but it's a messy process, and her undercoat was starting to get really thick, so she had her official grooming appointment today.

It turns out, we should have scheduled a grooming appointment for her a lot sooner. Her undercoat was so thick, that they had to take quite a bit of hair. She even had a bow in her hair when she was done {pink is definitely not her color!}. Actually, when we picked her up, I almost didn't recognize her. We had a few "dress-up" laughs at Sophie's expense, and I'm pretty sure she's having an identity crisis. Even though everyone was laughing at her, Sophie took it pretty well. See the before and after shots below:

BEFORE {looking pretty normal}


AFTER {Doesn't she look adorably...ridiculous?}

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Grill buds

I'm so in love with this warmer weather! Blake and I grilled out tonight for the first time this spring. Delicious. Tending to the items on the grill just wouldn't be the same without our grill buddy staring at the food until it is cooked to our tastes and standing guard to make sure any mess we make is cleaned up right away. What a good dog.


P.S. She also does the same thing when she grills with my dad. Do you need a grill buddy?

Sunday, April 13, 2008

Baby.....fat?

I am 15 weeks, 3 days pregnant today. I'm so anxious for my baby bump {and to feel the little one moving}, and I'm tired of feeling "fat!" I want to be a cute pregnant lady! Instead.......my pants don't fit, certain shirts just make me look like I've eaten a few too many cookies, more acne has invaded my already prone face, and my belly is sticking out in the weirdest way. :)

However, despite the weird, and sometimes uncomfortable, changes, I thank God everyday for the little miracle growing inside of me. Growing an entire person is such a miracle! Did you know that I haven't really done anything special {besides trying to eat and sleep a little more} and my body knows how to grow an entirely new human being...spine, brain, muscle, heart, eyes, nose, fingernails...everything?! How seriously awesome and miraculous is that? Obviously, a complete work of God.

I've been taking pregnant belly pics every other week, and I will say that this is the first week that I think my belly resembles {just a little bit} that of someone who is pregnant. What do you think?

Friday, April 11, 2008

Cute

Every so often, my mom finds the need to remind me just how cute she is {siblings, please imagine mom voice and appropriate sense of urgency}:

*ring ring* (caller ID says Dad cell)

Becky: Hi Mom!
Mom: Becky. What you doing?
Becky: Washing my hands.
Mom: Huh?
Becky: Washing my hands.
Mom: What?
Becky: Washing. My. Hands.
Mom: Waffling your van?!?

I love mom-isms. Her interpretation of the English language has been the source of many laughs in our household. I'm just glad she's such a good sport about it! :)

Monday, April 7, 2008

Wasting time

I ended up coming home sick today. I have what appears to be the early stages of the flu, so I'm hoping to ward it off with the extra rest and fluids today. Plus, I've got a little person to take care of, and having a full-blown bout with the flu will suck! It was also nice that Blake had the day off. He spoils me by playing with my hair, rubbing my achy muscles, and just looking out for me. :)

Between sleeping, dealing with headaches, and trying to drink a lot of fluids, I spent my day taking some time-waster tests. I can't let my brain power go to waste just because I'm sick. :)

Thanks to How About Orange, I found this test {click here} about brand awareness. I'm pretty keen about this stuff. I only missed 2 of the fifteen, and one of them I really had no idea. The other was just a bad guess. Upon completing the brand awareness test, I found this one about slogans {again, two wrong...grr} and this one where you have to spot the counterfeit item {only one wrong. Hooray!}. Taking these tests takes me back to my marketing classes, it's a good thing I was a paying attention! :)

Sunday, April 6, 2008

Obsessions

With this pregnancy, I've become obsessed with some interesting and not-so-interesting things:

1. Fruit
2. Fruit-flavored things (i.e. skittles, twizzlers, strawberry shakes)
3. Chili over rice
4. Mashed potatoes
5. Body pillows
6. Finding and picking up the dead bugs in our house
7. Annoying my little brother
8. Playing with Sophie's feet, even though she hates it......
9. And {someone please help me} I have a sick obsession with MTV's That's Amore, and VH1's Rock of Love II. Ok, I admit it would have been a sick obsession anyway, but it's nice to blame it on those addictive pregnancy hormones. :)

Friday, April 4, 2008

I want to teach our old dog new tricks

As Blake and I were leaving for our late-afternoon walk, we found a stray dog in our yard. She wasn't very old, and was very friendly. We walked to our nearest neighbors to see if they were missing a dog, but no one was home. Since we didn't want it to run again, we made her a mock collar, put her on Sophie's tie-out in the backyard, and gave her some food and water. Blake was already so attached, but we eventually ended up calling the police, and they came out to take her for the weekend. On Monday, she will be brought to the humane society. I hope her owners are looking for her and find her soon.

It's weird that we met this dog today because prior to our walk, we had been watching The Dog Whisperer. I noticed that Blake was using some of the tips from the show as the stray dog approached. Cesar Milan is seriously awesome with dogs, and watching him makes me want to work some more on Sophie's behavior. Sophie is generally a really well-behaved dog, and she knows a ton of tricks. There are, however, a few things that I want to fix:

1. When someone rings our doorbell, I don't mind if she barks a bit, but I don't want her to be so excited that she tries to run out of the door when I open it. I want her to be calm-submissive and observe as we open the door.

2. When we take her for walks, I want to walk her instead of her walking me. I tried it out today, and felt that she was starting to get better, but we still have a long way to go. She doesn't walk with her head up as though she's out for a walk...she always wants to sniff. This is a problem.

3. When at my parents' house, I want her to be less annoying in general. I love Sophie at our own house, but at my parents' house, she is beyond annoying. I've tried to discipline her there, but I think she knows its not our house and she doesn't listen. I may try some of the touches that Cesar recommends, and if that fails, I'll have to ask my dad to try to be the "pack leader." He's such a softie for dogs though, I'm afraid it'll never happen!

4. She needs to learn to be quiet when the garage door opens. We're still working on this one. She needs to understand that whomever comes into our house through the garage clearly belongs here.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Laughs

I really, really hope that our child laughs like this....it's soooo cute!